WATCHES.CLUB

Why a Second Look?

When the DB25 Starry Varius first appeared on watches.club in August 2023, it was hailed as a poetic fusion of haute horlogerie and astronomy. Nearly two years on—and with fresh production batches now reaching collectors—the reference merits a second examination. Does the initial magic endure? Are there age-related insights worth noting? This 2025 review sets out to answer precisely those questions.

Dial — A Celestial Tableau That Rewards Patience

• Blued-titanium canvas. Laser-polished Grade 5 titanium still delivers a saturated midnight blue that rivals aventurine for depth, yet remains absolutely glare-free under direct light.

• White-gold stars & bespoke constellations. Each star is a hand-fitted pin; De Bethune continues to offer full sky-map personalisation, and the latest pieces show even crisper milling around the Milky Way motif.

• Heat-blued, skeletonised hands. Visibility remains excellent against the blue ground, while the open-work tips ensure the constellation is never obscured.

Verdict: two years have not dulled the visual spectacle—if anything, incremental finishing tweaks make the sky appear sharper than early-2023 examples.

Case & Lugs — Ergonomic Sculpture

 

• Dimensions: 42 mm × 8.8 mm; lug-to-lug 49 mm.

• Hollowed “floating” lugs continue to define the DB25 silhouette. They articulate just enough to hug wrists as small as 16 cm—rare for a 42 mm watch.

• Finishing: mirror-polish dominates, with fine brushing on the mid-case groove. Under natural light the 5N rose gold projects a warm, almost coppery glow.

No design alterations have been introduced since 2023.

Movement — Calibre DB2105 in Practice

 

Spec

Figure

Type

Hand-wound, in-house

Frequency

4 Hz (28,800 vph)

Power reserve

6 days

Balance

Titanium with white-gold inserts

Shock system

Triple Pare-Chute

Field reports gathered for this review indicate an average rate of +2 to +4 s/day after break-in—very close to chronometer territory. Winding torque remains smooth, aided by De Bethune’s twin-barrel architecture.

Servicing interval is officially quoted at five years; no systemic reliability issues have surfaced in early-run pieces.

Strap & Wearability

The factory extra-supple alligator strap—now paired with a matching rose-gold pin buckle—remains one of the softest OEM options on the market. The watch wears comfortably under a cuff and transitions easily to casual contexts on a grey nubuck aftermarket strap.

Ownership Insights — Collectability & Value Retention

• Annual production: De Bethune as a whole produces roughly 200 pieces; Starry Varius accounts for a small minority, ensuring strong scarcity.

• Market performance: Secondary-market pricing has remained stable, with lightly-worn 2023 pieces hovering close to retail—an encouraging sign for long-term value.

• Service network: De Bethune’s workshop in L’Auberson handles most interventions; turnaround averages six to eight weeks within Europe.

Conclusion — Stellar All Over Again

The 2025 reviewconfirms that the DB25 Starry Varius has lost none of its allure. The dial remains a miniature planetarium, the movement continues to impress technically, and ergonomic execution sets a benchmark for 42 mm dress pieces. In short, the watch still offers one of the most compelling blends of subtlety, whimsy and rarity available at the ultra-high-end of independent watchmaking.